Question

Methanol poisoning occurs when the body converts a large amount of methanol to harmful chemicals that attack the optic nerves, leading to acute blindness. Ethanol is the antidote for methanol poisoning because ethanol is preferentially processed by the body. Ethanol is most likely to be a(n):A. allosteric inhibitor.B. competitive inhibitor.C. noncompetitive inhibitor.D. irreversible inhibitor.

Answer 1

Answer:

Ethanol is most likely to be a (B), competitive inhibitor.

Explanation:

The poisoing occurs because of the harmful metabolites produced by the alcohol dehydrogenases, enzymes in charge of breaking down alcohol.

Hence, the most likely strategy of an antidote is to compete for the active site of the enzyme and prevent the methanol convertion to harmful chemicals.

Ethanol does not produce these metabolites and it is preferentially proccessed by the body, so it is a competitive inhibitor, competing for the active site.